


Huh

by yeaka



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Animal Ears, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 07:10:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11915772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Roxas finds out why Axel’s been missing the sunset.





	Huh

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kingdom Hearts or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

On the seventh day in a row that Axel doesn’t shown up for ice cream, Roxas breaks down and seeks him out. It seems absurd that in an entire week they haven’t at least bumped into one another in the castle. Xion says she hasn’t seen him either, and Roxas doesn’t talk to many of the others. He has to derive the answer for himself, and when he’s seen the sunset and settled back into the blaring white of their world, he deviates from his own corridor and finds Axel’s room. There’s no answer to the first knock he gives the abnormally sealed shut door, but on the second, a muffled voice calls, “Go away!”

“It’s me!” Roxas shouts back, because that has to mean _something_ —he thought they were friends. He’s _sure_ they are. There’s silence on the other side.

Then Axel repeats quieter, “Go away, Roxas.”

“Why?” Roxas presses, almost too stunned to be hurt. And maybe a little angry. He doesn’t deserve to be shut out like this, not now that Axel’s shown him what it’s like to let people in. More silence, and he gives another loud knock, adding, “Answer me!”

“I’m not well, okay?” Axel sounds disgruntled, cagey, and Roxas stops short. His anger instantly sweeps into worry, his fist stilling against the painted wood. He doesn’t know what to say. Somehow, the thought that Axel could actually be _hurt_ never crossed his mind. Axel’s tall and jovial and strong, talented and _better_ at everything—he seemed invincible.

It changes Roxas’ mindset, and he mumbles only, “Axel...” He’s torn with the want to _see_ Axel again and the knowledge that he should let Axel rest.

He can hear Axel’s sigh. Then footsteps approach, and Roxas braces for the door to open. Instead, Axel mutters through it, “If I let you in, you can’t tell anyone, okay? It’s bad enough Saïx had to see. And you _can’t_ laugh!”

Puzzled, it’s easy for Roxas to answer, “Sure. I’d never laugh at you when you were sick.”

“...’Sick’ might not be the right word. I got... uh... on the wrong end of a weird spell... you know how those crazy Heartless are always morphing into new threats with new skills...”

“You’re just making me worry more.”

There’s a short pause, and then the handle twists, and the door finally creaks open. The second it’s wide enough to slip through, Roxas is through it, eager to be at Axel’s side again. Axel shuts the door right behind him and turns.

Axel doesn’t look sick. His skin still has a healthy flush to it, and his green eyes are as bright as ever. He’s just as thin and long as he’s always been. 

Except that he has two triangular ears pointing out of his fiery hair, and a long, red tail hitches up his black robe. Furred but lithe, it flicks once. Roxas _stares_ at it for a good while before finally making it to Axel’s face. He waits for an explanation until he remembers that he’s already gotten one—some wild spell that hasn’t yet worn off. And it’s left Axel looking... _animal_.

In a sudden panic, Roxas has the urge to rush up and strip away Axel’s clothes, to feverishly search his skin for the telltale mark of a Heartless. But Axel’s colours are all right, and he gives Roxas a self-disparaging smile like normal. Roxas mumbles, “You’re not...?” But he doesn’t know what he’s trying to say.

“I guess I’m fine,” Axel shrugs, even though he was just trying to convince Roxas otherwise. “’S just embarrassing until it wears off—I’ve been doing missions solo. I hope you got the old me memorized; just picture me like that.” 

“Instead of a cat,” Roxas blurts before immediately shutting his mouth. 

Axel only laughs, then leans forward and teases, “Hey, you’re free to pet me.” The broad grin says it’s a joke. 

But Roxas finds his hand moving anyway, reaching to scratch lightly behind Axel’s ear, as much out of curiosity as anything. The red hair around it’s as soft as Roxas always thought it’d be, but the vivid fur is even softer, and the ear twitches strangely under the attention. Axel lets out a low noise that sounds like a rumbling purr, something that makes Roxas blush darker and jerk his hand away.

Axel’s cheeks look a little pink too. He gives Roxas a charming look that says: ‘oops.’

Staring at the new features, Roxas says, “You should still come for ice cream. We miss you.”

“Yeah, I will when my taste buds go back to normal. All I want right now is some fish. And Saïx won’t let me out to get it, but none of my missions go anywhere that have them!”

“I can get you some,” Roxas offers without thinking. Even after he’s realized what he said, he doesn’t take it back. Considering how much Axel’s done for him, it’s the least he can do. 

And it’s worth it for the way Axel lights up, ears perking and eyes wide, face extraordinarily handsome in its delight. “Really? Hey, thanks, man.”

“No problem,” Roxas volleys, then thinks to tease, “After all, friends don’t abandon each other. Got it memorized?”

Axel snorts, “Pfffft,” and his tail flicks pointedly. Roxas has the sudden urge to feel it run through his fingers. Petting Axel might turn out to not be that bad an idea. He never had a pet before. If they can’t sit together in Twilight Town, they can at least sit together here. And he can stroke Axel’s ears and maybe rub his tummy—Roxas thinks that’s what people do with cats. He’ll try to spot some on his way to the water. Or maybe he’ll just go to a town with lots of domesticated ones and buy fish in a can. 

Either way, he promises, “I’ll be right back,” and then turns to leave, pleased to know that even if they can’t always have their evening ritual, their bond can at least adapt to new things. 

Axel switches up the usual saying to call, “Don’t forget me.”

Roxas laughs and goes, knowing he never will.


End file.
